First day of practice

NEW UPDATES ADDED THROUGHOUT THE BLOG. (5:25PM)

Hey everyone, bright and early at FIU. Had to drink extra coffee this morning to get ready. Under overcast skies the men on the FIU football team took the field for their first official practice of fall camp. I watched the first 30 minutes or so before the practice was closed to the media. A few quick updates on what I saw from where I was standing.

Injury update on Pooh Bear (left). According to Cristobal the boot is off his leg and he is walking. He is way ahead of schedule. "We expect him to be ready Rutgers' game week and we expect him to play in that game,'' Cristobal said.

TE Jonathan Faucher had a walking boot on his leg because he sprained his ankle. Faucher should be out 10-12 days.

Practice will be open to the public on Friday night, Aug. 20. Starts at 7:30 p.m. The practice is free and seating is first come, first serve. There will be an autograph session after the practice. "We'll do everything from our individual drills to our 7 on 7 drills and of course team periods involving all situations,'' Cristobal said.

Only helmets, jerseys and shorts today
as per NCAA rules for the first two days of practice. Wednesday and
Thursday the guys can wear shoulder pads. Friday is live action, full pads. Photo (right) Wayne Younger hands off to Darian Mallary (Tim Chapman, Miami Herald)

New coordinators

I had a chance to interview both defensive coordinator Geoff Collins and offensive coordinator Scott Satterfield after practice. Both seem really excited about coming to FIU.

Collins (left, courtesy FIUsports.com) says that coming to FIU is a great opportunity for him to be a defensive coordinator at a D1 level school.

"We have a lot of returners with a lot of experience,'' he said.

Collins also stressed how much depth the team has on defense. According to Collins, the team has 8 or 9 good defensive backs that can compete in the SBC, 6 to 7 LB and 8 to 9 defensive lineman.

"Which is encouraging, not a lot of schools have the number of people that are ready to compete at this level,'' he added.

Collins is bringing in a new defensive scheme for the Panthers this season.

"I was at Alabama, UCF, Western Carolina there are influences from all those schools," he said, about this season's defense. Expect to see the Panthers line up in 3-4, 4-3, Nickel and 30 Nickel formations. "The big thing I've been impressed with is how much these kids are learning and how multiple they are allowing us [coaches] to be, because of how much they know."

Collins also feels that the defensive line probably lost the most from last year. But he feels really good about the kids that are coming back.

He is also really happy with how well the cornerbacks have adjusted to playing in new schemes.

A little on why Collins decided to come to Miami and FIU.

"I'm like LeBron, you can't say no to South Beach,'' he said. "The kids are probably my favorite thing."

Follow FIU coaches on twitter

@CoachCollins - DC Geoff Collins

@ApolloFIU - running backs coach/st coordinator Apollo Wright

@CoachPopovich - assistant coach-secondary Jeff Popovich

@CoachMirabal - assistant coach-OL Alex Mirabal

@FIUCalhoun - assistant coach-DL Cedric Calhoun

@FIUCoachMoore - strength and conditioning coach
Roderick Moore

Response to comments

@Roary Can you post the schedule of practices this week? Any practices on the weekend?

@Panthers Fan ? With the
football season upon us, I must ask a very important question, if FIU
goes out and starts the season 0-4, should MC get fired.

A. FIU starts off with a really tough four game stretch against Rutgers, @Texas A&M, @Maryland and @Pitt. Any D1 team would have a hard time with those teams, especially on the road. It really would not be fair to Cristobal to be fired for starting off 0-4. If they win 1 or 2 (which would be a really big achievement) is great, but where FIU is really going to have to step up is in the SBC. The SBC, with the exception of maybe Middle Tennessee or Troy, is not on the same level as the Big East, Big 12 or the ACC. The first 4 games are really going to say something about this team, but that is not what will decide the season.

Camp Schedule (Dates and times are subject to change) -

PRACTICES ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. PRACTICES ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.

FYI, ONLY THE AUG. 20, 7:30 P.M. IS OPEN.

Monday, August 9 - 9 a.m.

Tuesday, August 10 (Media Day)

Wednesday, August 11 - 8 a.m.

Thursday, August 12 - 8 a.m.

Friday, August 13 - 8 a.m.

Saturday, August 14 - 8 a.m.

Sunday, August 15 - OFF

Monday, August 16 - 8:30 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, August 17 - 8 a.m.

Wednesday, August 18 - 8 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 19 - 8 a.m.Friday, August 20 - 8 a.m. &
7:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 21 - 8:30 a.m.

Tomorrow - interview with OC Scott Satterfield, what a players usual day is like during camp and more notes.